


Offering, claim and reward

by I_Slasher



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Animagus Bestiality, Bestiality, Breastfeeding, Emotional Hurt, HP: EWE, Harry Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Hurt/Comfort, Knotting, M/M, Male Lactation, Male Slash, Mild Kink, Mpreg, Other, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, Romance, Sexual Content, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000, a little ooc, alive Severus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:30:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5836222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Slasher/pseuds/I_Slasher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a weak moment in the Shrieking Shack, Harry remembers the people the war took away. Suddenly, he is in the company of someone, who unexpectedly provides him more than comfort in that cold night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Offering, claim and reward

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMightyFlynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/gifts).



> **Cross-posted on** [Livejournal](http://kink-n-squick.livejournal.com/53547.html)  
>  **Based on** : [Prompt #16](http://kink-n-squick.livejournal.com/50515.html?thread=229971#t229971)  
>  **Disclaimer** : Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.  
> Special thanks to:  
>  **Frozen_angel** for betaing my fanfic and an apology for the horrors you had to read.   
> **TheMightyFlynn** and I hope you like what resulted from your prompt (man, how hard was used Mpreg and bestiality together!  
>  **HPKnS mods** you're so awesome! Thanks for the realization of this kinky and pornish fest.
> 
> This is my first fanfic and my entry to the **HP Kink & Squick: Creatures Fest 2015**.
> 
> I admit that there is some OoC!Harry, but I do justified due his PTSD. Bestiality scene isn't very explicit, and somehow this came sweeter than I've plan at first.

The war was finally over, but Harry couldn’t help but think about the price they had to pay for it to happen. They had lost so many people: witches and wizards of all states of blood, friends, families and children who did not have to be on the battlefield. A bittersweet victory; at least for Harry.

Gradually, however, every witch and wizard in Britain had begun to move on. The fear the Dark Lord Voldemort had implanted in the core of the magical community was turning into joy and oblivion. The war was over, after all. What else mattered if in the end it was over?

And so, as the opening of Diagon Alley proved, life went on, at least for most people.

Harry Potter was not one of them. His depression and PTSD were still present, even six months after the final battle. He had tried to go on, but could not do so and for the first time in his life found himself not knowing where to go or what to do.

After all, his goal in life was fulfilled and it was not as if he really believed he was going to survive so, what now? He was a ship adrift, without direction, totally lost.

His friends and family had tried, in vain, to convince him to join the Auror program, or continue with his education, or go out and have fun, but nothing seemed right for him.

He had even tried to get back with Ginny, only to realize that he couldn’t be with her. One of the reasons was that she was the wrong gender, besides that she looked eerily like his mother Lily; and another reason was that it wasn’t her who he wanted. That person had died in the battle and he had failed to do something to save him.

_If only I had gone before._

Severus's eyes had haunted him every night since his death. The nightmares could be different, but the essence was the same: Snape blaming him; Snape asking him to save him; Snape saying that without him (Harry) he would still be alive. Harry didn’t need to be reminded by his own dreams about something that he already knew, and that he would live with for the rest of his days.

Today was one of those days, in which Harry could not stand being in the Burrow. There was so much noise, so many faces aching trying to smile. There were fake smiles and gestures that hid the truth behind their imitations of affection: guilt. They indirectly blamed him, and he knew it.

So Harry had slipped through the kitchen door and after crossing the wards of the property, he Apparated to the only place he felt safe. Ironically, this was the Shrieking Shack, was he a masochist? Maybe. But it was something he needed.

The memories of the last time he was there assaulted him and without hesitation he began to cry. Anger or sadness, even he couldn’t say for sure. The place soon filled with screams and roars, claims against Dumbledore, Voldemort, against himself. It didn’t really matter. Severus Snape was dead and nothing could change it.

At some point during his crying, he fell asleep. The darkness of the night soon covered the room and the November breeze cooled Harry to the bone, waking him. The coat he had brought with himself didn’t cover him completely, but a couple of warm spells did the job.

Rubbing his eyes, Harry sighed and thought about what he should do. His depression had lasted long enough and although it hurt, and he doubted he'd ever get over it, nothing would change his loss. But at least he could do something to honor his memory (in addition to clear his name as a spy and double agent).

Harry stood up and turned towards the door, stopping when he came face to face with a large black wolf. The animal was huge and heavy and dark. His eyes seemed to see through Harry’s soul and for a moment he thought it might be _him_.

The grip on his wand loosened for a second before he thought to quickly move away. It was absurd to believe that Severus might be alive, hidden somewhere in his animagus form, if any. It wasn’t impossible, but Harry had gone to his funeral.

"Hey buddy," began Harry, for some strange and suicidal reason. He knew that wolves were aggressive, wild animals that would spare no time in eating his guts to feeding the remains to their pups. Harry knew he was being stupid, but his instinct for self-preservation had gone on vacation a long time ago. "What are you doing here, huh? Did you go out hunting or something? I didn’t know it was your territory, so if you let me go..."

Harry interrupted his speech when the wolf growled at him and if the wizard didn’t know it was insane, he would swear that it was making fun of his intelligence, wondering if the teen had at least a little common sense.

"Right... so, I'll just Disapparate and not bother you, okay? Don’t go and bite me." but before Harry could concentrate, the huge black wolf jumped on him, knocking him against the hard and dirty wooden floor. This caused him to lose the grip on his wand (that rolled under a piece of furniture) and hit his head with a heavy blow. “Ouch!”

Harry kept his eyes locked on the ferocious jaws of the animal, waiting for the moment when he would end up being killed because of his stupidity. And maybe it was because of his fear or that he no longer really cared, but he began to speak: "You know? I really don’t care if you kill me now, boy. I have nothing left to live for and I really don’t know what I'm doing with my life or what I will do from now on. So if you want to kill me, do it, doesn’t matter. My family thinks I don’t notice their looks, but I know better. My friends fear me. The wizarding world expects me to be what they want. The only person that ever saw me as more than the Golden Boy, the same person that I totally love, without even realizing when it happened, is dead and I couldn’t save him." the boy had begun to cry again, powerless.

The animal, at some point in Harry’s monologue had stopped growling, remaining silent. It watched the tears falling down his cheeks and began to lick them with its hot tongue, erasing all traces of salt water that flowed from the eyes of the wizard. Harry opened his eyes and faced with the penetrating gaze of the animal, wondered if Severus would be equally regal in his animagus form as this wild wolf.

"For a moment I thought you were him that somehow he had survived and gone on his way in his animagus form. But it's a silly idea, right? He would have mocked me the moment he saw me. He would have yelled and blamed me for being an arrogant brat who wasn’t satisfied with being the Boy Who Lived, but now was the Boy Who Defeated. But none of that’s true. I never asked for this. Nobody asked me. And now that it’s over I don’t know what else to do. All I wanted was to be a normal guy and fall in love, but I can’t even have that. They expect me to marry a beautiful woman and have a perfect family, but I don’t like girls and the only person who I ever loved is dead. And about the fame, why would I want this damn fame? It has only brought me pain and sorrow. They don’t see the real Harry, but what they expect from me. I don’t want to be their Savior; I just want to be Harry."

Somehow, Harry felt much better after letting out all those words. It was something he had wanted to scream for so long and for one reason or another hadn’t. Now, speaking to an animal that could well kill him, he felt free of the weight of his emotions. He could now die without the fear of regret.

However, the wolf did nothing but stare at him, growling whenever Harry tried to get off the ground. At some point, the wizard began to shiver and the wolf, on a movement too tame for its race, leaned to his side, providing enough heat to him to stop shivering.

"You're a good boy, you know? I wish you were him..." Harry said before closing his eyes and falling asleep. The wolf huffed at the stupidity of the wizard and closed his eyes too.

.0.

_Harry felt the hands of his lover caressing his side and he panted with pleasure. A tongue licked his nipple swiftly, making him moan and beg for more, his voice was full of desire. The tongue moved to the other nipple, biting, the only understandable word coming from Harry was the name of his partner: Severus._

_His hips moved erratically, thigh rubbing against Severus, who smiled knowing what the young wizard craved. Harry's hand moved to his jeans trying to free his cock and be able to cum._

_"Severus..." Harry panted, waving his hand against his underwear, wetting the cloth with pre cum and yelling with pleasure when the other wizard bit his neck in response to his name. Harry didn’t want to cum like that, in his hand, so he lowered a little of his clothes until his jeans and underwear were around his ankles. He took his free hand to his mouth and licked his fingers completely, putting his hand to his ass and into his buttocks. With a little effort due to the extra weight of his lover, Harry lifted his hips and inserted a finger into his wet entry, glad that he had decided to play occasionally with his ass and thus allow a better penetration._

_"Yes! So good, Severus! Ah!" both hands were moving in rhythm. The hand on his dick giving long and fast movements, pressing the base of his cock and running his thumb along the edge, stopping at the head and squeezing and releasing alternately. The hand on his ass already had three fingers inside and the fourth soon followed. It was better to be well prepared in case Severus was thicker than he had anticipated._

_His teaching robes left much to the imagination, but sometimes reality exceeded by far any fantasy._

_When he was fully prepared, he left his dick in favor of Severus’. The huge piece of meat was ready to break his ass in two and from the big smile on Severus’ face, the Potions Master wanted it too. Harry turned and got on his forearms and knees, exposing his firm and palatable ass to the man behind him. "Do it, Severus. I want to feel you inside me. I want you to make me scream in pleasure and pain. I want your hot cum to flood my guts. Please. Please!"_

_And after a moment's hesitation, Severus did it. He knocked against Harry’s ass, holding his weight against the back of the boy, biting his neck as he buried himself inside. Harry cried out in pain at first – Severus was bigger than expected, but soon they became cries of pleasure. The wizard began to move erratically and quickly, biting a little harder when he felt Harry’s inner walls pressed against his throbbing cock._

_Harry's dick had been forgotten, but nonetheless he felt no less pleasure. In fact, Harry could cum one moment to another without ever being touched. It was erotic and extremely exciting to think that he would cum just from being penetrated so rudely by Severus. The Potions Master certainly knew what to do and how to move to give a combination of pleasure and pain to Harry._

_Harry felt his balls tighten and he knew his climax was near. He squeezed his ass tighter to give even more pleasure to Severus and a couple of thrusts later, he felt the base of Severus’ dick thicken, if something like that was possible. The flesh expanded his entry ensuring that Severus’, big cock and his bull-cum remained within him. Harry moaned even more at the feeling of being so full, so complete. His orgasm hit him like a bludger in flight, squirting his semen on the floor of the room._

Harry blinked, opening his eyes after so intense an orgasm and tried to drop onto the dusty ground. His movements were prevented by a weight and unknown heat behind him, and not without some trepidation, Harry turned his head to find the impressive figure of the black wolf.

Reality exceeded fiction, and this time was no exception to the rule for Harry. His dream hadn’t been a dream, he had allowed a bloody wild wolf to fuck him! And he had enjoyed it, fully!

"Oh, Merlin," the weight of his actions dropped on him like a bucket of ice water, causing him to laugh hysterically. Now he wasn’t only ‘the Boy Who Lived and Defeated’, but a fucking bestiality-boy. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

The apology went on and on until the Wolf’s knot deflated and the animal could separate itself from the boy. Harry slumped to the ground, regardless of the cum against his skin, and curled into a ball. Heavy, hot tears ran down his cheeks again and when the wolf came to lick them, Harry cried harder.

"I’m sorry, dude. I'm so sorry. I know you were only following your instincts, and I'm so sorry about that. I don’t know whether sexual abuse against animals exists, because it clearly wasn’t your fault. I'm sorry," when the wolf had finished licking his tears and stood beside him, he continued: "I know I should feel bad that I lost my virginity to a wolf, but I'm not sorry. I really must be turning crazy, because even now I have no regrets. Of course I always wanted him to be my first and only lover, but..."

Harry sighed, trying to find the right words to express what was in his head, even when he knew that the wolf didn’t understand him and it was potentially dangerous to have it so close to his jugular.

"I think my relatives were right; I'm just a freak. There is no other reason for why I feel no guilt or shame for what just happened," the wizard stared at nothing, thinking. The wolf also stood there, doing nothing.

Harry wondered if the wolf now considered him a part of its pack, was it was going to kill him now, or would it allow him to leave whit the little decorum he had left. He decided it was worth taking the risk and started to rise. The animal growled a little when the boy managed to stabilize, he almost seemed concerned that the wizard could fall and get hurt. Harry smiled, "Don’t worry. This is nothing that a potion can’t fix."

He picked up his clothes and carefully got dressed, noting that the wolf followed each of his movements with its intense dark eyes. He drew his wand and cast a fast cleaning spell on himself; at least outwardly. Inside him, he could still feel the Wolf’s cum and inadvertently, his cheeks flushed. _I just lost my virginity to a wild wolf._

So Harry went to the wolf, that was still in the same place, impassive. "Well. This has been a… memorable experience. I don’t know the reason why you didn’t kill me as soon as you saw me, but thank you," the wizard laughed at his own words, running a hand through the nest he called hair. "Merlin... I can imagine the headlines in The Prophet: 'The Boy Who Lived to Fuck the Forbidden Forest Wildlife’; our beloved Rita Skeeter would have a field day at my expense, like every year."

Seeing that the animal wouldn’t attack him, Harry said his goodbye with a smile and a wink. If he had done what he had done, what difference did it make to get on with the game? Nobody would know. "This will be our secret, don’t you agree? I doubt you’ll come back here, so this is our farewell. See you."

And with that, Harry left the Shrieking Shack without looking back, burying in the depths of his rudimentary and fragile Occlumency shields, what had just experienced. While the public already called him crazy for this or that, why not enjoy the pleasure of knowing that he had actually done something as extremely crazy as offer his ass, in a good way, to a wild wolf? Ah, the benefits of enjoy his dementia.

.0.

Three days later, Harry found himself looking into the worried faces of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

He had expected the weekly confrontation from his friends, who promptly visited him at Grimmauld Place every Friday at five in the afternoon. Harry was waiting for them with tea and biscuits, to the delight of Ron and Hermione's slight discomfort. At first he had done it to break the tension and calm down his friend, but after a while it became routine. Hermione would ask him what he planned to do with his life; or that he should stop being irresponsible and study something; or go fly with a Quidditch team. And Ron, after overcoming his anger at Harry not being registered with him in the Auror program, would ask if he was seeing someone, or if he thought about getting back with his sister.

The answers were always the same and Harry doubted that would ever change. Harry knew that his friends wouldn’t wish him any harm and were only concerned, but the wizard was slightly sick of them having their noses in all his affairs. If he doesn’t want to do anything for the rest of his days, they should accept it and not force him to do something.

Harry had already sacrificed his freedom for so long, it was time for him to do whatever he fucking desired.

Noticing that his friend had been saying something when he wasn’t paying attention, he rolled his eyes. Some things never change.

"... Harry, are you listening?"

"Yes, Hermione. You were asking me for the umpteenth time if I plan to join the Ministry and for the umpteenth time I say no. I'm not interested in politics, I don’t want to be an Auror, I don’t want to be a Quidditch player, and I don’t want to go back to Hogwarts or become a teacher. Could both of you stop asking me the same thing every time? It's pretty annoying and I’m tired of hearing the same litany over and over again when you both know the answer," before allowing them to interrupt him, he quickly continued "I don’t want to go out and date; not Ginny, not Cho, not that pretty witch in that bookstore on Diagon Alley. Understand once: no."

"But Harry-"

"I said no, Hermione."

The silence in the room was heavy. Harry rubbed his temples trying to avoid another headache and waited for the explosion, the screams or something. Nothing came. When he returned his gaze to his friends, they looked at him as if they didn’t know him. It was an old look, one he had accustomed to.

"Look, guys," he began after a couple of seconds, "I appreciate your concern, really, but you must understand that I'm an adult and I should be responsible for the consequences of my actions and that you must be happy with what I decide. If I want to stay here and watch as mold grows on the walls, it will be my decision. The moment I decide to do something with my life, I'll tell you and I hope you’ll support me, or at least be happy for me. I don’t disrespect your concern, but you are not my parents, so please, I ask you this as my friends, my family: stop pressuring me."

After his words what he had predicted happened: Ron and Hermione left without saying another word and would only return to Grimmauld Place on special occasions. Harry expected they would soon overcome their infantile attitudes.

.0.

Two and half months later, after emptying his stomach for the fourth time that day, Harry called by Floo to Madame Pomfrey. He had decided not to go to St. Mungo and risk being found out by the media and start a new round of assumptions and gossip about the Boy Who Lived, so he made his way to his favorite medi witch.

"Mr. Potter, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" the stern woman was, besides McGonagall, one of the few people he really appreciates. She was like the annoying aunt that you liked, despite her silver tongue.

"Can’t a former student come to visit his favorite person in the world?"

"If I didn’t know you well, Mr. Potter, for a moment you would have cheated me," replied the woman, squinting at the young wizard before her, who was trying by all means to enchant her with his big green eyes "Now, I’ll ask you again and I hope for the truth, what are you doing here?"

Harry, knowing it was a losing battle, sighed and sat down in an empty bed; his bed. He ran a hand over the pristine cover and faced the woman before him. "Lately I've been very sick, terribly so. Upon waking I run to the bathroom and throw up even when my stomach is empty and it gets worse when I go to the kitchen. Certain smells repulse me and I run again to throw up, I have headaches and I'm starting to lose weight. I didn’t think it wise to go to St. Mungo's because it would be given to assumptions and I have enough stress already with everyone expecting something from me. I also really don’t want the Prophet to find out. Can you tell me if it's a virus or something? Maybe it's dark residue from the final battle... I hope I'm not dying."

The last part was a whisper, but Madame Pomfrey heard him perfectly. The medi witch frowned and mentally reviewed the list of possible diseases with such symptoms and asked Harry to lie down. The woman pulled out her wand and started to chant diagnostic spells waving her wand from head to toe. Colored lights appeared over Harry's skin, some strong and others subtle, but what intrigued her most was the bright green color that adorned the surface of the wizards belly. Occasionally a couple of silver lines would walk through the green zone, creating intricate patterns of swirls and colors. It was beautiful in the eyes of Harry and certainly didn’t seem dangerous, but just in case, he asked "What is it, Madame Pomfrey?"

The medi witch pursed her lips, canceling the spell with a wave of her wand and stared at Harry. The wizard, feeling exposed and nervous, toyed with the edge of his Muggle shirt.

"Harry," called the woman after a minute or two, startling the boy, "what I'm going to ask you is very important and I need you to be completely honest with me. Remember that my vow as medi witch prevents me from telling anyone, in any way, whatever you tell me unless you give me permission, so you don’t need to worry that this leaves this room. I can place an anti-spyware ward, if it makes you feel better."

Harry opened his eyes at her words. Was it that bad? Was he going to die? He knew that not long ago he had said he didn’t mind dying, but now? _No, it couldn’t be true. I don’t want to die._ He had made peace with himself that night in the Shrieking Shack.

"Harry! Harry! I need you to calm down, you're hyperventilating. Hear my voice and breath; inhale, exhale... good, you do it well. Do it again" the wizard tried to follow her instructions, calming gradually until his breathing returned to normal. Once Pomfrey was sure Harry was quiet, she placed the promised ward and asked, "Now, your condition is not life threatening, but I need to know whether it was consensual or if it was something you didn’t want."

The wizard listened and something in the words of the witch must have clicked in his head, but the thought vanished as quickly as it came. Until the woman asked, "Harry, did you have sex with someone of your same gender recently? And if so, was it consensual?"

Harry's cheeks were painted red, hence the embarrassment of the question as the memories of that night resurfaced. Now, Harry had read somewhere that wizards could get pregnant only if they had a magic core powerful enough to withstand the uterus that was magically created inside one of the two partners, where the magic of both - active and passive - would mix. From one, the magic created an egg and from the other, the magic diverted the sperm into the uterus. So far, no healer or medi wizard knew for sure how it worked, sometimes it was the magic of the passive creating sperm, still dominant in the genes.

But yes, Harry had read about it, and he had seen stranger things in the wizarding world, but was it possible that the father, if he could call it that, was the wolf? Harry didn’t know whether to cry or laugh hysterically. Would he give birth to a litter of cubs or to a strange magical mix? Merlin, he was a complete freak.

Madame Pomfrey waited for Harry to regroup his thoughts and answer her, through his cheeks and gestures, she already knew the answer. At least she knew that Harry, from the slight smile (a little nervous) and the hand on his belly, had done it consensually.

"Uhm..."

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Nothing I say here will come out, right?"

The witch nodded at the concerned boy. Sometimes she forgot that this young wizard was only a mere teenager, yes he had just ended a terrible war but he was still only eighteen years old. "That's right, child. Everything you tell me is confidential."

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, stroking, without realizing, where the light had been previously. "I... yes. I had sex a couple of months ago with... someone, but uhm... not exactly _someone_ , but a _something_?" Harry told the latter, feeling incredibly foolish and embarrassed. What would the witch think of him? That he was a pervert, a madman?

Probably both.

"A something, Mr. Potter? Would you be so kind as to explain, because I don’t understand what you're telling me?"

"I... _I had sex with a wild wolf_ ," he said quickly and without looking at the medi witch, choosing to look at his feet. Madame Pomfrey kept her face expressionless trying to understand what the young man had said and yes, he had said what she had heard. She watched her patient, and noted that the wizard avoided her eyes, embarrassed. The witch smiled and placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, praising the boy.

"Harry, look at me. I understand you're embarrassed, but you don’t have to be. Believe it or not, the magical community has an immense amount of sexual practices that are open secrets. Obviously they’re performed behind closed doors, in the privacy of their homes or in specialized sites for this. Can you imagine if a muggle born learns these practices that are abhorrent to them? The magical community really is strange: they claim that those who have relations with muggles are abominations, but accept incest and bestiality. So, don’t worry, alright?"

Harry nodded speechless, trying to process what he had just discovered. So he wasn’t a sick madman for doing what he did? A sigh escaped from his lips and he felt his shoulders relax before recalling another thing: “But my baby-“

"That's another interesting thing, Harry. Although practice is, to some degree, common, pregnancy isn’t possible between different species. If you say you've only had sex once and only with that wolf, then the only way that fertilization might have occurred was because that wasn’t an ordinary wolf, but an Animagus."

.0.

_Animagus._

The word repeated over and over in his head. Harry stepped out of the Floo with a scroll full of instructions to follow, potions to take, vitamins and nutrients for his baby along with the date of their scheduled appointment for the following month. However, his mind couldn’t focus properly; all he could think about was what he had learned so far.

He was going to have a baby, _not a litter of puppies._

He had sex with a wizard in his animagus form, _not a wild wolf._

Harry slumped ungracefully onto the nearest couch and thanked Kreacher when he covered him with a heavy blanket and placed a cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of him. When his thoughts seemed to settle, he smiled.

He was going to be a daddy in six months. He knew he should feel bad, after all someone had taken the opportunity that a horny Harry had given him first-hand, but Harry couldn’t care less. He was going to be a dad, it was all that mattered.

.0.

Harry's life continued normally. Ron and Hermione had come to understand that it wasn’t that Harry was being irresponsible, but that he wanted to make his own decisions for once in his life. To say that Harry was ecstatic when his friends appeared when he was at his twenty week mark would be an understatement.

And when the baby started moving, just when the three were in a big hug at the door of Grimmauld Place, he couldn’t help but cry for happiness.

Harry told them the edited version of his encounter with the father of his baby, who he had allegedly met in a bar and with who he had spent the night. Hermione hadn’t been happy to hear about the slip of his friend, especially because it was a risky act. "It could have been a Death Eater, Harry! Promise me you'll be more careful next time!" and with that the matter was settled.

Ron had just muttered "Now it all makes sense" and patted Harry on the shoulder, asking if he would eat the cupcake in his hand. Harry laughed as Hermione gave Ron a blow to the head, shouting at the red head for always thinking with the stomach and not with his head.

"Then the father of your baby doesn’t know that he’s going to be a dad?" Hermione, after going to the dining room after Kreacher’s had told them that dinner was ready, asked.

"Er... no. I haven’t seen him and the last thing I asked was his name. I doubt he has given me his real name, because I gave him a fake," the lie came easily from his lips and Harry wondered for a moment when exactly he had become good at lying. He hadn’t been good before, so even he was amazed "But that's right, Hermione. I became a single parent. I have enough to raise my baby without his help. I don’t need anything from him. Also my baby will have many aunts and uncles that will be pampering him or her, so what else will my baby be lacking?"

The dinner went smoothly. Hermione had asked if Harry would allow her to organize a baby shower to which the raven had said yes. Ron had reminded him that he needed to tell his mother, Molly, who would certainly be charmed by her first grandchild.

"I tell you, mate. You’ll have the eternal gratitude of Bill when you tell the family about your baby. Mum has been asking him and Fleur when they plan to have their first child and man, they no longer know how to avoid her."

Using the excuse that Harry shouldn’t be alone now that he was pregnant and since the next day he would have his monthly checkup with Madame Pomfrey and because Harry wanted them there with him, the pair stayed in the house.

The medi witch wasn’t surprised to see Harry's companions. She had been worried that Harry would decide to hide his pregnancy, but apparently her fears had been unfounded. So she was happy to see the trio of friends together again, supporting Harry in his pregnancy.

The session passed without incident. Madame Pomfrey had reviewed Harry’s health: his vital signs, pressure, level of vitamins and so on. When she went to check the baby, she used the spell that had the function to work as a muggle ultrasound. The image would appear on Harry’s belly and with another spell they could hear the heartbeat.

Once everything was ready, she asked the expectant father if he was ready. Nervous, Harry nodded and waited, holding Hermione's hand as he felt Ron's hand on his shoulder. He had the support of his friends, his family, anything could come and he'd be ready.

When he heard the thump-thump echoing in the empty wing, he began cry. _Damn hormones_. Hermione also began to cry and even though he would deny it, Ron also shed a few tears. The heart of his baby was constant, strong, and beautiful. Harry didn’t know if there was anything more beautiful than that sound.

Then Madame Pomfrey flicked her wand and an image began to form above his belly. Expectantly, Harry almost stopped breathing as slowly the image began to appear. It was his baby. His and no one else’s. The image made it more real.

"My baby," Harry muttered in amazement. He looked hungrily at the image, memorizing everything he could. He noticed the head and the little hands, the little feet and what appeared to be... another foot? "Uhm... Madame Pomfrey? What's that over there?" he inquired while pointing out the excess part to which he referred.

The witch smiled and made another flick of her wand and then the view changed. Harry now had the view of not one baby, but two.

"They are…"

"Twins, yes."

"Oh, Merlin."

"Congratulations Mr. Potter. Twins in the wizarding world are rare and very special," said the medi witch with a slight smile.

Harry left the infirmary with a pair of moving pictures of his babies and a big smile. Hermione and Ron had returned to the Burrow when Harry told them he would stay a moment longer at Hogwarts to visit McGonagall and tell her about his pregnancy and babies. They had agreed to pick him up later to go to the Burrow.

Molly had sent him an invitation to dinner and Harry thought it prudent to accept. There was so much he wanted to say and above all he wanted to share his happiness with his family.

Harry stood in front of the Gargoyle and smacked his forehead with his palm. He didn’t know the password and hadn’t previously notified the headmistress, so he opted for the simplest option: sending a message with his Patronus.

Prongs stood regal and proud in front of Harry, waiting. His warmth enveloped the body of the young wizard and his babies moved happy. Harry placed a hand on his tummy and told Prongs: "Headmistress, its Harry. Can I come in?" and with that, the deer trotted and disappeared. He didn’t wait long; the gargoyle moved and Harry went up the stairs slowly, but surely.

Lately he had become very tired, and when he had told Madam Pomfrey, she said it was normal: his babies were growing and healthy, after all.

The office door opened, letting in a breathless Harry and before he could say hello or look up from his tired feet, he sat in one of the chairs across the desk. With a sigh he stretched his legs and looked up, meeting with a gaping McGonagall and a surprisingly alive Severus Snape.

Harry blinked.

And he blinked again.

Severus Snape, the only man he ever loved and whom he believed to be dead was actually alive.

Harry began to cry.

Harry hadn’t cried as much in his life as he had done throughout this pregnancy. Last month he had begun to cry because Kreacher placed made hot tub with salts for his swollen feet; two weeks ago it was from listening to a sad song; last night was because Ron gave him the last chocolate cookie because his babies had been craving it. However, none of that mattered, only his babies.

He would take that and more just for his babies.

A couple of minutes later, when Harry stopped sobbing and started to calm down, McGonagall handed him a couple of handkerchiefs. The witch had moved beside him, placing a hand on his arm in a comforting way. Harry was grateful.

He decided to focus on her and not in the wizard who had been in his dreams for so long.

"Good afternoon, headmistress" Harry finally greeted with a smile and watery eyes.

"Good to see you, Harry. How many times must I ask you to call me Minerva? I'm not your teacher anymore. We can leave aside the formalities, don’t you think?"

Harry smiled, placing a hand on his belly "I wanted to surprise you, but I think I messed that up, right?"

"Not at all. Certainly it’s a huge surprise. When were you thinking of telling me that you would be a dad, huh?"

"Uhm... well, it wasn’t a secret," he said, playing with the top button of his shirt "and I had already thought of coming to visit you, and since today was my appointment with Madam Pomfrey, well..."

"Don’t worry, Harry. But tell me, how many months are you? Who’s the father of your baby?"

"I just turned twenty weeks and..." Harry waited to release the biggest news to the witch, waiting for her reaction "... its 'babies'. I'm having twins."

He hears the sharp intake of breath on his left, but didn’t turn to look at the Potions Master. It was too painful to watch him and not be able to have him, especially when he had accepted that it was an impossible love that he would remember fondly for the rest of his life. Of course he preferred him alive than dead, but that didn’t lessen the pain of his unrequited love.

McGonagall surprised him when she gave him a hug, saying that his parents would be proud and that she hoped to meet the man who had stolen his heart, to which Harry uneasily replied. "Well, about that... I decided to be single parent."

Silence fell in the room and Harry ventured a look at Severus, who remained as immovable as a statue. He didn’t seem interested in the situation and Harry's heart squeezed. He focused again on the witch on his right, who regarded him with affection. It was strange to Harry receive those looks, so he treasured the moment.

"It's very brave of you, Harry. And remember that you have my support and I’m sure that a couple of your former teachers will also think like me. Do the Weasley’s and Miss Granger know?" at Harry's nod she went on "Well, I'm glad you're not alone in this."

Half an hour later he took his leave, receiving another hug off Minerva and a nod from Severus. Not that he expected anything else, really. He was curious to know how he survived, why he had faked his funeral, what he had been doing for so long and the reason for his comeback, but he had kept these questions to himself. It wasn’t worth the effort.

It was a battle that was lost from the start, so it was best to focus his energy on his babies and their future.

Lost in thought, Harry's feet took him to Hagrid’s hut. He was surprised to see it had been rebuilt and remodeled, but the half-giant wasn’t there. According to the headmistress, he was with Madame Maxime and would return next year.

Harry, already feeling the fatigue of carrying his babies for so long, leaned against one of the big pumpkins from Hagrid’s garden and closed his eyes enjoying the weather. It would soon be a year since the end of the war and Harry had no desire to do anything that day but lie down, resting in his comfortable and warm bed with a good book that he would read aloud to his babies and nothing more. He smiled at his plans.

A growl made him turn his head to the left. A black wolf stared at him and as long as his eyesight wasn’t failing him, it was the same wolf as the Shrieking Shack. The wolf, who wasn’t a wolf but a wizard in his animagus form, stood there, as if waiting for Harry to say something. It was clear that he knew that Harry knew, but the young wizard wouldn’t give him the pleasure. He had decided to be single dad for a reason and he would keep his word.

"Hey buddy! A while since I saw you right? How have you been?" Harry played the card of ignorance which could take two possible outcomes: that the wizard transformed back into his human form, or that he would turn around to never see him again. Or so he hoped.

The wolf did nothing more than look at him. Scrutinizing. Harry didn’t back off.

"This castle was my real home for so long. Before coming here, before I knew I was a wizard and not a freak I had never known what it was like have friends, or have someone who cares about you. Before coming here I never thought I would have a chance to be happy, despite the danger that each year brought. I always fought for those people I loved, who I love, and I will love for the rest of my days."

Harry closed his eyes, remembering every face and name he had known, wiping a tear that ran down his cheek "You must think I'm corny for crying, but they were my family, if not by blood, at least in decision." he ran a hand over his belly and smiled "Now I have my own family, you know? A couple of babies growing inside me and you know what's funny? I don’t even know them and I love them with all my heart. And you? Do you have puppies? I imagine you have a couple of litters in your pack; I doubt a magnificent wolf like you would be a loner."

The breeze shifted Harry's hair and a slight aroma of wet earth told him that a storm was approaching. He hoped to get to the infirmary before it began to rain and be able to use the Floo, he didn’t want Disapparate in the Forbidden Forest.

Harry dusted himself off and smiled at the wolf. "Well, I better get going. It's about to rain and it would be unwise to get caught in the rain; I hope you're happy, because I doubt that we will meet again. Goodbye."

And with that, he went to the castle. He had a meal with the Weasley to attend.

.0.

For his nineteenth birthday, Harry couldn’t have asked for a better gift than his children. His babies, a boy and a girl, were born on the first day of August, one month ahead of what Madame Pomfrey had expected ("In late August, Harry. I told you the same the last time we met."). The operation, much like muggle Caesarean, had gone perfectly and after a couple of potions, Harry's skin was like new.

Harry knew he wasn’t objective regarding his children, but for him, they were beautiful. Both had black, unruly hair like his, their noses were two perfect meatballs and their lips were thin like his. At that moment Hermione was holding her godson and Ron his goddaughter. The two were making noises and faces at the babies. They looked totally ridiculous and Harry couldn’t help but take a couple of photos of the pair before he hissed in pain from laughing so much.

His room was full of gifts and ribbons, cards and messages of good fortune for his children. There were little origami dragons flying across the room hunting themselves. Harry knew he didn’t have to worry if something happened to him because his children would be in good hands.

On the morning of August 2, after accepting a potion that would allow him to produce milk to feed his children, he received a very unexpected visit. Severus Snape stood in the door of his room, watching him intensely.

Harry became self-conscious of his situation: his robe open at the front and his breast exposed while breastfeeding his children. A strong blush covered his neck, face and ears. _Merlin, what a shame._

"Professor," he greets as maneuvering his children as best he could. His daughter was facing the door and stared at the wizard; his son completely ignorant of the world. Each was their own person, but at the same time they were so similar; as if both wanted to be fed, or both wanted to be embraced at the same time. Harry didn’t know how he was going to manage, but he would need to clone himself or grow a few more arms.

The Potions Master stood still, and Harry suddenly felt shy. Maybe he found the image in front of him repulsive? If that was the case, he could very well turn around and come back later, because this was the his babies mealtime and Harry, despite the love he had for the man, would not put Severus before them. So he waited.

And waited.

And he waited, until the babies released his nipples in unison and waited for their dad to burp them. Harry groaned inwardly. The previous times he had the help of Hermione and Molly and even Fleur, one of them would pat one of his kids while he did the same with the other. Now that he was alone he had to maneuver. At least his babies were quiet.

First he settled his sleeping son, and then his daughter. Each of his hands patted the small backs of the kids and the two belched at once. Harry kissed each head and settled on his left side, taking advantage of the freedom of his arms to fasten the gown. That evening they were going to go home, so he wouldn’t need to use the uncomfortable garment anymore.

That was the moment when Severus decided to join Harry in the world of the living, after clearing his throat, he spoke for the first time since that day in Hogwarts. "Potter," he greeted "Congratulations are in order, it seems."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said while playing with the hair of his babies, "the pair of imps were well worth all the mood swings, tears and strange cravings."

The happiness in his tone surprised the older wizard, who watched the scene with something in his eyes that Harry could almost described as longing and love. It was the same look he had every time he read a potions article where Severus’ name appeared.

Minutes passed, and although Harry offered a seat to the Potions Master, he remained standing.

"Pot- Harry," to hear his name on the lips of Severus made his heart beat faster. He looked up and waited "I know we've not had the best past, and I understand if you never forgive me for treating you the way I did simply by virtue of being the son of your father, but..."

Harry wanted to interrupt and tell him that he forgave him; that everything was forgotten and he had no reason to apologize. He wanted - wished to silence the man with a kiss and tell him he had forgiven him long ago because he loved him, but he stayed silent and waited. Severus spoke as much as was necessary, and Harry knew the man wasn’t fond of talking.

"I forgive you, Professor. Actually I forgave you Long ago. "

The man's face was impassive, but his eyes said otherwise: disbelief. "Why?"

Harry bit his lip at that question. Should he tell him it was because he loved him or just tell him what he wanted to hear? He sighed, scratching his nose and preparing for the imminent rejection.

"I know what it’s like being harassed and beaten while nobody does anything to help you. I lived it with my cousin and his friends and although he was my relative, sometimes I wished I could get him back for all the things he had done to me, but I understood that it wouldn’t be worth it. In the end he apologized to me, or something like an apology, and we're fine. We don’t talk, but it's something, I guess.”

"I won’t justify my father’s bullying nor am I happy that Dumbledore turned a blind eye and I understand your pain, but I also understand that it wasn’t the most mature way to deal with your ghosts. Throwing your anger onto a child who was not to blame for the actions of his father, a child who had no voice or vote in all the shit that happened. That’s totally absurd, especially for a Slytherin."

Severus said nothing so Harry went on "I know I'm not one to read you the riot act for your actions and you've paid for what you have done, so yes, I forgive you. There is nothing to forgive. Now both of us can start living or lives, free from the chains of the past. At least I know I will. What do you say?"

Harry noticed the gleam in Severus’ eyes and smiled. Maybe there was a possibility with the Potions Master?

"Thanks, Harry. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, especially with what I am about to tell you now, and I understand if you want to curse me or even kill me. I can’t even forgive myself I'm supposed to be the adult here-"

The young wizard was stunned. He would never have imagined Severus being so... non-Severus. This endless chatter was clear proof of his nervousness.

"Professor?" he tried once.

"Snape?" nothing.

"Severus!" when he won his attention, he smiled at the potions master trying to calm him, "I don’t know what you think you did or why you think I won’t forgive you, but if you don’t tell me now, we will stay in a endless circle of apologies."

"It was me…" he finally said; his velvety voice sent shivers of pleasure down Harry's back.

"I beg your pardon? I did not hear the last part."

Severus sighed, staring into Harry's eyes, waiting for his reaction. "It was me. I was the black wolf. I... I took advantage of you that night in the Shrieking Shack. It was me who took what wasn’t his, it was me who let his carnal desires dominate his mind, I-"

"I know," Harry interrupted, "I've known it this whole time. Well, since my fifth month, in fact. "

Stunned, Severus asked "How-?"

"Madame Pomfrey couldn’t get a paternity test until the babies were born, so she told me to go to Gringotts. However, it wasn’t necessary because I remembered a book in the Black library that talked about bloodlines and how to verify if the unborn child really were of your family or if they were of another, so with a bit of my blood and special parchment, I discovered the name of the father of my babies."

"Did you know?"

"Yes."

"And you didn’t tell me."

"It was your punishment for not telling me before that you were that wolf. For not getting in contact with me after seeing me that afternoon in McGonagall's office and later at Hagrid's hut. For not facing me that day as a wizard and instead of as a wolf. I wanted to teach you a lesson, punish you, and despite how much I love you and although I knew you could never return my feelings, yes, I decided not to tell you. I decided that my babies would only have me."

At the end of his speech, Harry was crying. And now he couldn’t blame the hormones from the pregnancy.

"You were planning on telling me?"

"Of course. I wanted to send you a letter, call you by Floo when McGonagall gave me your address, or head into your potion shop, but I was afraid. What if you had really just followed your instincts and you felt disgusted with what you had done to me? I couldn’t bear such rejection. And now that I have my babies here, I don’t expect anything from you. If you want to see them and be part of their lives, you can. If you want nothing to do with us, I understand."

Severus walked to the bed and put a hand on each of the little heads "They are so small..."

"I know. I'm surprised that they weren’t born larger and thicker, with the amount of food I ate."

"Well I hope that our children will not adopt the manners of the youngest Weasley son." Severus murmured, enthralled.

"I also hope so. Although with Hermione by his side Ron probably won’t... wait a minute. You said-"

"Our children, yes."

"I... is... is it true? You really mean it?" Harry asked, his fear that that little spark of hope he felt would be shattered if he dared even breathe.

"Yes, Harry."

"Oh, Merlin!" Harry muttered, staring at Severus "Pinch me or something, I don’t know if I'm dreaming or If I have definitely lost my mind."

Severus did something better than pinch or curse the raven, he leaned down and kissed Harry. The kiss was soft and warm and tasted of mint.

Harry smiled when they separated, raising a hand to stroke the cheek of the potions master. The whole situation was strange; it had began upside down and could potentially end badly, but Harry didn't regret anything. His future looked bright, finally.

.0.

Eleven years later.

Harry stepped out from the Floo with a hitch. With a pass of his wand he cleaned the trail of soot that remained on his robe and waited for his children to come through as well.  
Behind him, his little Brioni left without breaking stride and with another pass of his wand, she was also clean. Her brother, Anthony, stumbled and by the quick reflexes of his sister, he lost no ground. Severus was the last to leave the Floo, banishing the soot on his robes and Tony’s.

"Are you ready?" the excitement in Harry’s voice didn’t go unnoticed by his family. Despite his age, Harry was still young at heart. His sons smiled at their dad and Severus put an arm around Harry's waist, all heading toward the station to the train that would take the twins to Hogwarts.

Much had happened over the last few years.

The relationship between Harry and Severus had started with much stumbling, embarrassing situations and many awkward silences, but they had managed to overcome these and found the ideal balance in order to be a family.

After a year of dancing around each other, Harry had asked Severus if he wanted to live with them, to which the Potions Master agreed on the condition he could buy a new and adequate house for his family. Harry, who had already been thinking about buying something more joyful for their children and Teddy, had said yes.

They lived together for about two years before Severus proposed to Harry. The day they announced their engagement to his family, Hermione managed to win a couple of galleons after hearing who had proposed marriage to whom. Apparently there was a bet on them and Hermione had predicted that Severus would propose to Harry in less than three years.

Then, the Potter-Snape family merged both Severus’ potions store and Harry's medical office, business that was ongoing even after six years.

And now here they were, watching their little terrors start a new stage in their lives. They could see in the distance Teddy’s blue hair, who upon noticing his godfathers, sent them a big smile and headed towards Brioni and Tony, along with the new generation of Weasley.

Harry smiled at his husband, who with a look of pride, watched their children saying goodbye through the train windows. Their children, who had moved from their diapers to walking to destroying the house; there had been planned jokes and pranks with Teddy (their honorary cousin). The twins were definitely the apple of their parents’ eye, especially Severus’ who had fallen completely in love, from the moment he had met them in the hospital.

When the train began to move away, Harry felt Severus kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear with affection "Ready to go?"

"Yes," he replied back, kissing the lips of his husband with so much love that it almost felt too cheesy "The house will feel so empty without them, don’t you think?"

"They will return for Yule break, Harry."

"I know... I just... they grew up so fast."

"They'll be fine."

"Yes."

"And you?" asked Severus as they headed to the Floo "Will you be all right?"

Harry smiled mischievously, and ran his hand over Severus’ ass "Maybe..."

"Petulant brat." said the potions master with a grin.

"I didn’t hear you complaining last night, love."

"We'll see who complains tonight."

"I’m looking forward to it."

Harry was the first to cross the Floo into their home, waiting on the other side for Severus. He would miss his children, yes, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be completely and absolutely alone with his husband.

Ah, the things he had planned. Harry smiled when he heard the Floo activate. This was only the beginning.

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> I chose the names Brioni (English; name of a flowering vine used in folk medicine) and Anthony (English; highly praiseworthy. In the 17th century, the spelling Anthony was associated with the Greek anthos meaning flower) because according to the names’ page I used to research, it says that both names are derived from flowers. So I followed the 'tradition' of Harry's family (more or less) and I know it's a cliche, but I love that Harry has twins! 
> 
> Thanks for read and don't forget to leave a review! :)


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